It’s been a busy few weeks for Elektron. The Swedish hardware brand has just dropped updates for its Syntakt and Digitakt II grooveboxes, bringing new analogue sounds to the former and long-awaited Overbridge compatibility to the latter, all while playing down rumours of the imminent announcement of a leaked new instrument named Tonverk. As it transpires, Elektron did have a new instrument ready to announce all along – not Tonverk, but a new version of its synth-come-groovebox Digitone.
While FM synthesis is still at the heart of Digitone II, the update looks to expand the capabilities of the synth engine significantly. Much like Digitakt II, which arrived earlier this year, one of the most notable upgrades here is a doubling of the audio capabilities, raising the overall polyphony from eight to 16 voices. As before, Digitone II is multi-timbral and allows users to split the voice count into four independent synth sounds.
According to Elektron, Digitone II is designed so users can, “pull your sound through the prism and into a spectrum of dazzling tones and timbres.”
To that end, Digitone II introduces a system of ‘machines’, which effectively allow the user to mix and match a variety of synth engine and filter modules, each with its own characteristics and parameters.
On the synthesis front, Digitone II has four machines to choose from. FM Tone is the original Digitone’s four-operator FM engine. FM Drum is a new machine specifically designed for synthesizing percussive sounds, similar to the engines found in Elektron’s Syntakt and Model:Cycles grooveboxes. Wavetone is a two-oscillator synth engine that allows users to morph between waveshapes and adds phase distortion into the synthesis mix. Finally, Swarmer is a super-saw based cluster oscillator with detune and noise modulation controls.
The new filter modes, meanwhile, are similar to those found in Digitakt II. These include a Legacy LP/HP based on the original Digitone design, a new morphable multimode filter, a 24db lowpass filter, parametric EQ and a pair of comb filter modes.
There are improvements on the effects front too, with new sample rate and bit reduction effects, along with overdrive that can be placed pre- or post-filter. Digitone II also gains a master compressor.
Other enhancements from Digitakt II are also present and correct here, including upgraded modulation that now includes three LFOs per synth track and easy routing of external velocity, aftertouch, pitch and mod wheel sources.
On the sequencer side, the original’s 64-step sequencer is doubled to 128 steps, and adds the Euclidean generator present on Digitakt II and Syntakt. Digtone II also adds a variety of other workflow improvements, including improved preset management and song mode.
Digitone II is available to order now, priced at $999/€1049/£899. Find out more at the Elektron website.
